Rotary International District 3292

Nepal-Bhutan
Community Need Assessment
GG 2128532
Increasing Economy Opportunities through Sustainable Mushroom Farming in Rural
Communities in Nepal

Figure 1 Budhanilakanth -6

June, 2021
Community Need Assessment

Shitake Mushroom: Shivapuri rural municipality 6, Gurje, Nuwakot District

ENGLISH (EN)

GLOBAL GRANTS COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

RESULTS
Use this form to report community assessment findings to The Rotary Foundation when you apply for a global grant.

Assessing the strengths, weaknesses, needs, and assets of the community you plan to help is an essential
first step in designing an effective and sustainable global grant project. See Community Assessment
Tools for full instructions and helpful tips.

This form will help you report the results of your community assessment, and it’s required when you
apply for any humanitarian or vocational training team grant. Complete a separate form for each
beneficiary community (e.g., school, health care system, or village), using information that is both
current and specific to each community. Remember, you can’t use global grant funds to cover the cost of
doing an assessment, but you can use district grant funds.

Beneficiary community or institution

Project Implementation Sites

The project implementation locations are identified in two different clusters rural communities
through community assessments which are as follow:

1. Oyster Mushroom: Budhanilakantha Municipality 6,Chyasindole Shyam marga, Kathmandu

District
2. White Button Mushroom: Panauti Municipality 2, Kushadevi, Kavreplanchowk District

Training Venue: Moshnepal Office , Chandragiri Municipality, Balambhu (Well training facilities,
mushroom cultivation and research hub areas )is identified to carry out 3 days training and
respective community sites of the project will be the venues to carry out on the job training- OJT ( two
weeks).

Please click the link (For location)

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1Ry9ZPArqsVSaeZBb4Fqsvt0EPgdoPVKK&usp=sharing
1. Oyster Mushroom: Budhanilakantha Municipality 6,Chyasindole Shyam marga, Kathmandu
District
ENGLISH (EN)

GLOBAL GRANTS COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

RESULTS
Use this form to report community assessment findings to The Rotary Foundation when you apply for a global grant.

Assessing the strengths, weaknesses, needs, and assets of the community you plan to help is an essential
first step in designing an effective and sustainable global grant project. See Community Assessment
Tools for full instructions and helpful tips.

This form will help you report the results of your community assessment, and it’s required when you
apply for any humanitarian or vocational training team grant. Complete a separate form for each
beneficiary community (e.g., school, health care system, or village), using information that is both
current and specific to each community. Remember, you can’t use global grant funds to cover the cost of
doing an assessment, but you can use district grant funds.

Beneficiary community or institution

1. Chyasindol, Budhanilkantha Municipality farmers and local communities.

Groups in the community that would receive a clear, direct, and immediate benefit from the project

The farmers of Chyasindol, Budhanilkantha Municipality ward no 6 and local communities with easy
excess for consumption of Mushrooms would receive a clear, direct and immediate benefit from the
project.

Beneficiaries’ demographic information, if relevant to the project

Chyasindol, is located in Budhanilkantha Municipality ward no 6, Kathmandu District, Bagmati Province.
Budhanilkantha Municipality is one of the historical municipalities of Nepal. The municipality has a large
residential area, Shivpuri mountain range and green forest to the north. The geographical location of
Chasingdole, Budhanilkantha Municipality on the world map extends from 27 degrees 45 minutes 33
seconds north latitude and 85 degrees 20 minutes 11 seconds east longitude. The height of this place is
from 1326 meters above sea level. The total population of the Municipality is 107,918
(26,485 Households) and 12 wards. The project site, ward no 6 consist a total population of 4,977 among
them 2,481 are female and 2496 are male (comprising 1,171 households). The main occupation of the
project site population is agriculture (about 54%).

Map of the Budhanilakantha Municipality

Who conducted the assessment? (check all that apply)

☒ Host sponsor members
☐ International sponsor members
☐ A cooperating organization
☐ University
☐ Hospital
☐ Local government
☐ Other Click or tap here to enter text.

Assessment dates

07-06-2021

What methods did you use? (check all that apply)

☒ Survey
☒ Community meeting
☒ Interview
☒ Focus group
☒ Asset inventory
☒ Community mapping
☐ Other Click or tap here to enter text.

Who from the community participated in the assessment?

A group of 20 local farmers, community leaders, local clubs and organizations of Chyasindol were
participated in the assessment. Among the farmers 15 participants who were interested in mushroom
farming were identified to enroll into the Oyster Mushroom cultivation training.

List the community needs you identified that your project would address.

Mushroom Farming.

Introduce and educate farmers to modern tools and techniques for sustainable farming.

Develop market chain between mushroom farmers, venders and consumers.

Standardization and diversification of products.

List any needs you identified that your project would not address.

Construction of Health Center.

Factories (Rice Mills, Sugar Mills, Edible oil, Dairy Chilling Center, Wood Factory) for Employment
opportunity for local.

Proper pitched road.

List the community’s assets, or strengths.

1. Accessible road

2. Availability of suitable land for cultivation

3. Local resources (bamboo) needed for the Oyster Mushroom are available

4. Favorable temperature and enriornment for Oyster Mushroom caltivation.

5. Meeting rooms, temples and public water tap

6. Access of agricultural cooperatives to support farmers

7. Local community were found highly interested in Mushroom cultivation

8. Good water supply and electricity

Considering the needs and assets you listed, explain how you determined the project’s primary goal.

Considering the needs and assets listed above, the projects primary goal was identified through the need
assesment visit and interview method. Rotarians of Rotary Club of Maharajgunj had several
discussions with the local farmers and community leaders of the community/village. The team helped
identifying the interested dedicated farmers and made a group of those who are willing to do Oyster
mushroom farming. After the groups were made Rotarians and farmer groups had a group discussion
on determining the projects primary goal.

How would your project’s activities accomplish this goal?

The projects activities will accomplish the goal by :

Startup Activities.

Procurement Planning

Inspection

Implementation

Minitoring and Evaluation

Marketing.

Reporting

Sustainability plan
What challenges have prevented the community from accomplishing the project’s goals?

1. Increase community socio-economic status through better in community income, better quality of life
and better livelihood

2. Proper utilization of land.

3. Enhancing knowledge and skill for mushroom cultivation.

4. Increase employment opportunity to local youths.

5. Transferring new technology (appropriate and affordable) to local communities in mushroom

farming.

How is the community addressing these challenges now?

The communities are addressing these challenges now by using the indigenous agricultural practices
and tools. Due to the high demand of Mushrooms by the user groups ie, hotels, restaurants, party venue
and low production, it has been unable to supply sufficient amount of products because of inadequate
guidance and budget. Due to this reason the farmer groups has requested Rotary to support them for
enhancing their knowledge skill and technology in mushroom cultivation/production.

Why are the project’s activities the best way to meet this community need?
The project activities mentioned above are the best way to meet the community need as unemployment is
the big problem which is disturbing the peace of family and society. Mushroom farming is an agricultural
activity in which both men and women can utilize their spare time and play a vital role without sacrificing
their household responsibilities. Promotion of mushroom cultivation will help in relieving pressure on
land, increase food and nutritional security and uplift the status of farmers through earning additional
income and in household decision making. Therefore, it is likely to benefit all the members of society
especially women who are the direct beneficiaries in the long term.
2. White Button Mushroom: Panauti Municipality 2, Kushadevi, Kavreplanchowk District
ENGLISH (EN)

GLOBAL GRANTS COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

RESULTS
Use this form to report community assessment findings to The Rotary Foundation when you apply for a global grant.

Assessing the strengths, weaknesses, needs, and assets of the community you plan to help is an essential
first step in designing an effective and sustainable global grant project. See Community Assessment
Tools for full instructions and helpful tips.

This form will help you report the results of your community assessment, and it’s required when you
apply for any humanitarian or vocational training team grant. Complete a separate form for each
beneficiary community (e.g., school, health care system, or village), using information that is both
current and specific to each community. Remember, you can’t use global grant funds to cover the cost of
doing an assessment, but you can use district grant funds.

Beneficiary community or institution

Kushadevi, Panauti Municipality farmers and local communities.

Groups in the community that would receive a clear, direct, and immediate benefit from the project

The farmers of Panauti, Kushadevi village (Mostly Women) and local communities with easy excess for
consumption of Mushrooms would receive a clear, direct and immediate benefit from the project.

Beneficiaries’ demographic information, if relevant to the project

Kushadevi is a village of ward no. 2 of Panauti municipality in Kabhrepalanchok District in the Bagmati
Zone of Central Nepal. It is located over the eastern rim of the Kathmandu Valley, the village has in the
past decades emerged as a major source of vegetables, dairy products and manpower for the capital
city. It has the total area of 19.78 sq.km. According to the database of 2011, Kushadevi has a total
population of 7,114 including 3,850 males and 3,264 females. Kushadevi consist of total 1,549
households. It lies at an altitude of 1340-2782m with latitude of 27˚ 35’ and longitude of 85˚ 30’. The
city experiences the maximum temperature of around 32 degree Celsius to minimum of 0 degree Celsius
with an average rainfall of 1200 mm. It has a highly fertile agricultural hinterland. About 84% of the
population depends upon agriculture, specializing in dairy and horticulture. Besides these people have
taken small scale industries, business, and animal husbandry as the source of income.

Fig 3 : Map of Panauti municipality (showing 12 wards)

Who conducted the assessment? (check all that apply)

☒ Host sponsor members
☐ International sponsor members
☐ A cooperating organization
☐ University
☐ Hospital
☐ Local government
☐ Other Click or tap here to enter text.

Assessment dates
10-06-2021

What methods did you use? (check all that apply)

☒ Survey
☒ Community meeting
☒ Interview
☒ Focus group
☒ Asset inventory
☒ Community mapping
☐ Other Click or tap here to enter text.

Who from the community participated in the assessment?

A group of 20 local farmers, community leaders, local clubs and organizations of Kushadevi village of
Panauti Municipaltiy were participated in the assessment. Among them 7 male and 13 female farmer
participants in the assessment were found interested in mushroom farming .

List the community needs you identified that your project would address.

Mushroom Farming.

Introduce and educate farmers to modern tools and techniques for sustainable farming.

Develop market chain between mushroom farmers, venders and consumers.

Standardization and diversification of products.

List any needs you identified that your project would not address.

Construction of Health Center.

Factories ( Rice Mills, Sugar Mills, Edible oil, Dairy Chilling Center, Wood Factory) for Employment
opportunity for local.

Proper pitched road.

List the community’s assets, or strengths.

1. Accessible road

2. Community Forest
3. Availability of own land for cultivation

4. Local resources (bamboo) needed for the White Buttom Mushroom are available

5. Favorable temperature and environment for White Buttom Mushroom caltivation.

6. Meeting rooms, temples and public water tap

7. Access of agricultural cooperatives for supporting farmers

8. Local community were found highly interested in Mushroom cultivation

9. Good access of water supply and electricity

Considering the needs and assets you listed, explain how you determined the project’s primary goal.

Considering the needs and assets listed above, the projects primary goal was identified through the need
assessment visit and interview method. Rotarians of Rotary Club of Maharajgunj had made discussions
with the local farmers and community leaders of community. The team helped identifying the interested
dedicated farmers and made a group of those who are willing to do White Bottom mushroom farming.
After the groups were made Rotarians and farmer groups had a group discussion on determining the
projects primary goal.

How would your project’s activities accomplish this goal?

The projects activities will accomplish the goal by :

Startup Activities.

Procurement Planning

Inspection

Implementation

Minitoring and Evaluation

Marketing.

Reporting

Project sustainability
What challenges have prevented the community from accomplishing the project’s goals?

1. Increase community socio-economic status through better in community income, better quality of life
and better livelihood

2. Proper utilization of land.

3. Enhancing knowledge and skill for mushroom cultivation.

4. Increase employment opportunity to local youths.

5. Transferring new technology (appropriate and affordable) to local communities in mushroom

farming.

How is the community addressing these challenges now?

The communities are addressing these challenges now by using the indigenous agricultural practices
and tools. Due to the high demand of Mushrooms by the user groups ie, hotels, restaurants, party venue
and low production, it has been unable to supply sufficient amount of products because of inadequate
guidance and budget. Due to this reason the farmer groups has requested Rotary to support them for
enhancing their knowledge skill and technology in mushroom cultivation/production.

Why are the project’s activities the best way to meet this community need?
The project activities mentioned above are the best way to meet the community need as unemployment is
the big problem which is disturbing the peace of family and society. Mushroom farming is an agricultural
activity in which both men and women can utilize their spare time and play a vital role without sacrificing
their household responsibilities. Promotion of mushroom cultivation will help in relieving pressure on
land, increase food and nutritional security and uplift the status of farmers through earning additional
income and in household decision making. Therefore, it is likely to benefit all the members of society
especially women who are the direct beneficiaries in the long term.